Browns notebook: Bring on the Steelers!

Steve Doerschuk

Wednesday

Aug 29, 2007 at 12:01 AMAug 29, 2007 at 2:29 AM

Browns notes from Aug. 28.

The schedule says it’s a game at Chicago.
Browns lineman Ryan Tucker says, “We’re practicing for the Steelers.”
Tucker will play against the Bears but miss the first four games on a steroid-related suspension.
That doesn’t change the fact that he’s one of the Browns who gets the rivalry. His first season with Cleveland ended with a 36-33 playoff loss at Pittsburgh. It sticks in his craw that the Browns are 1-7 against the Pennsylvanians since then.
The Steelers play Thursday night at Carolina. Is Pittsburgh as zoned in on the Browns?
“They should be,” Tucker said. “We’re watching them.”
Charlie Frye will start at quarterback at Chicago.
“We want to put back-to-back good performances together and use it as a carry-over into the Pittsburgh week,” he said, alluding to last weekend’s win at Denver.
Frye would hate a repeat of last year’s preseason finale against the Bears, who were way sharper in a 20-7 win at Cleveland.
“We want to keep this train moving forward,” Frye said.
The starting job against Pittsburgh is Frye’s to lose after a strong outing at Denver, but he assumes nothing. He mentioned his surprise 2005 start at Chicago, where he used a sharp outing to grease the skids for playing most of the second half of his rookie season.
Now he’s being pushed by rookie Brady Quinn, who has a much better passer rating, 119.8, than Frye’s 76.6.
“There are no surprises around here,” Frye said.
Speculation is hot whether the Browns will keep four quarterbacks or cut loose Derek Anderson or Ken Dorsey.
Head coach Romeo Crennel lets out no firm clues on where the QB situation is going, other than to affirm guesses Frye will start against Pittsburgh.
“He’s sneaky like that,” Quinn said.
Quinn disagrees with general manager Phil Savage’s assessment that it would be “unrealistic” for him to take on the Steelers.
“I would love to be under center and play, or start, in the opener” the rookie said. “But again, that is not my decision.”
Steinbach Hopeful
Left guard Eric Steinbach said he is “definitely” optimistic about playing in the opener, although he won’t play at Chicago.
“If I can knock some rust off and just get loose, I should have no problems at all,” said Steinbach, back on the field after letting a sprained knee heal.
He has been rehabbing with defensive end Orpheus Roye, another knee patient.
“Timing wise, we have kind of been going through the same stuff at the same time,” Steinbach said. “But that’s good, because we can kind of work off of each other and do some drills.”
Bentley on PUP
Center LeCharles Bentley was placed on the physically unable to perform list, which means the Browns have six games to decide whether to activate him, place him on injured reserve or release him.
“LeCharles needs more time,” Crennel said. “In October, we can get him on the field and see where he’s at.”
Bentley is trying to come back from an ordeal that began when he blew out a patellar tendon just as camp was starting in 2006.
“He wants to play as a Brown,” Crennel said of the former Saints Pro Bowler and St. Ignatius High School graduate. “That’s his lifelong dream.”
Crennel said Bentley was “disappointed” about being placed on the PUP list.
Extra Points
- Right tackle Kevin Shaffer hasn’t recovered sufficiently from a concussion suffered at Denver. He will miss Thursday.” Hopefully, next week he’ll be ready,” Crennel said.
- Crennel said it’s getting tough to make final cuts. The Browns must cut the 75-player roster to 53 Sunday. “The last couple years,” he said, “you knew those were the players who needed to move on.”
- Crennel said left tackle Joe Thomas is making some rookie mistakes, but “we’re still excited about Joe.”
Reach Canton Repository sports writer Steve Doerschuk at (330) 580-8347 or steve.doerschuk@cantonrep.com.

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